Worship. In it, James Tolle offers several historians’ (non-Christian historians,
cks) findings pertaining to the early worship of the church (pp13-15):
“Paul Henry Lang, Music in Western Civilization, pp. 53,54: ‘All our sources deal amply with vocal
music of the church, but they are chary with mention of any other manifestations of musical art…The
development of Western music was decisively influenced by the exclusion of musical instruments from
the early Christian Church.’”
“Kurt Pahlen, Music of the World, p. 27: ‘These chants—and the word chant (and not music) is used
advisedly, for many centuries were to pass before instruments accompanied the sung melodies.’”
“Hugo Leichtentritt, Music, History and Ideas, p. 34: ‘Only singing, however, and no playing of
instruments, was permitted in the early Christian Church.’”
“Emil Nauman, The History of Music, Vol. 1, p. 177: ‘There can be no doubt that originally the music
of the divine service was everywhere entirely of a vocal nature.’”
“Dr. Frederic Louis Ritter, History of Music from the Christian Era to the Present Time, p. 28: ‘We
have no real knowledge of the exact character of the music which formed a part of the religious devotion
of the first Christian congregations. It was, however, purely vocal.’”
“Frank Landon Humphreys, Evolution of Church Music, p. 42: ‘One of the features which
distinguishes the Christian religion from almost all others is its quietness; it aims to repress the outward
signs of inward feeling. Savage instinct, and the religion of Greece also, had employed the rhythmic
dance and all kinds of gesticulatory motions to express the inner feelings…The early Christians
discouraged all outward signs of excitement, and from the very beginning, in the music they used,
reproduced the spirit of their religion—an inward quietude. All the music employed in their early
services was vocal.’”
“George Park Fisher, History of the Christian Church, pp. 65,121: ‘Church music, which at the outset
consisted mainly of the singing of psalms, flourished especially in Syria and at Alexandria. The music
was very simply in its character. There was some sort of alternate singing in the worship of Christians,
as is described by Pliny. The introduction of antiphonal singing at Antioch is ascribed by tradition to
Ignatius…The primitive church music was choral and congregational.’”
“Joseph Bingham, Works, London Ed., Vol. II, pp. 482-484: ‘Music in churches is as ancient as the
apostles, but instrumental music is not so…The use of the instrument, indeed, is much ancienter, but
not in church service…In the Western parts, the instrument was not so much as known till the eighth
century; for the first organ that was ever seen in France was one sent as a present to King Pepin by
Constantinus Copronymus, the Greek emperor…But, now, it was only used in princes’ courts, and not
yet brought into churches; nor was it ever received into Greek churches, there being no mention of an
organ in all their Liturgies, ancient or modern.’”
Go by the Bible or go by the first-century standard of church history that was
apostolically led and one arrives to the same conclusion – that man since decided
he can improve worship by changing the commandments of God.
